The Start of Something
by AnotherPerson5
Summary: The Nanny. C.C. Babcock/Fran Fine. R&R welcome.
1. Chapter 1

~*~

"She'll talk my ear off, I'll be dead by morning."

"Oh come now, not everyone is against you." Niles responded spitting on C.C.'s glass and rubbing it in with a drying towel, turning away from the cupboard with a smile, "Juice?"

She snorts, shaking her head, "No thanks."

Maxwell and the kids had left for some family reunion to appease his mother which of course meant not bringing Fran.

"_Would you mind stopping by to check on her? Her and Val just had the fight and I don't want her to feel abandoned. _"

And because he'd looked at her in _that way_ and his thumb had been stroking her shoulder C.C. had of course breathed out a yes, dazed by the sudden scent of his cologne when he'd stepped close to give her an appreciative hug. When he'd let go, leaving her stationary in his office, her arms still holding the place where his back was she'd suddenly realized who she'd just offered to check in on.

And now here she is, having intended only to say a quick hello and somehow snared into spending three days at the Sheffield residence surrounded by a snarky butler and a nanny with the fashion sense of a Queens hooker. Great.

"Now now it won't be all that bad. You can stay up late telling horror stories. I've always wanted to know how your mother and father met."

~*~

And despite all instinctual urges to fight or flee C.C. survives. Without any Sheffield's to tend to or older Fines to cook for Niles had retired early to Maxwell's Jacuzzi tub, leaving her and Fran to their own devices for the moment. After having been stuck in the wine cellar together where Fran had pleaded to do her hair C.C. trusts her enough not to butcher it on repair. She sits on the floor in one of Frans' turquoise colored robes as the nanny's fingers thread through her short locks, the soap channel playing and the remnants of chocolate soufle and a bottle of white wine on the coffee table.

"Ya know, I really don't understand why Jessica won't just have Luke's baby. I mean whose she afraid of losing him to? The guy's an astronaut, what he's gonna shack up with a martian?"

"Oh please I barely even watch these things and its obvious he's still in love with her twin sister."

"Are ya kidding me, no way. Veronica is a total slut." Fran shook her head, "No decent guy would ever go for a woman dressed like-_ohmygod ohmygod I have that skirt in blue!_"

C.C. tilted away from the brunette's fingers, eyebrows raised at Fran's obvious glee. The other woman was obviously imbalanced, had one of those three letter word disorders that were just a nice of way of saying dumb as a rock at the bottom of the ocean. A commercial began and Fran was once again distracted, pulling C.C. back against her crossed legs and humming as she reached for a hair tie.

Thirty minutes later the television played in the background while Fran explains how she'd learned to do cornrows as C.C. focuses on un threading the tightly woven braids. Fran's own hair is laid flat on the carpet, deflated after the shower Fran had taken earlier and curling over her bare shoulder.

_Wait…bare?_

"You know Ms. Babcock I just don't get it." she whines, pushing the robe fully over her shoulders and placing it beneath her head.

"Get what Nanny Fine?" C.C. loosens another braid successfully

"Why I don't have any friends. Val said it's because I'm selfish. Me!"

She shrugs, "Well, you do have a tendency to whine a lot."

"Whaaaat? What do mean I whine?" she cries, lifting up abruptly.

C.C. rolls her eyes, dropping her hands from her hair momentarily. "You're kidding me right?" the nanny frowns, " _'Why don't I have a boyfriend?' 'why won't visa extend my limit' 'Maxwell I broke a heel' 'Maxwell I don't have a date to my high school reunion'. _It's always me me me me **me **with you. I'm not surprised Max hired you, you're as self involved and oblivious to every one around you as he is."

"That's not fair!" Fran stands up, arms crossed, "I care a lot about other people."

"Oh you do not." C.C. remains seated

"I do too!"

"What's Nile's last name?"

Fran's teeth clench, anger alight in her eyes if C.C. bothered to look up "That's not fair! Nobody knows his last name!"

"Okay then besides for taking care of little Macy what exactly do you _do _for anyone around here?"

"I-I I give advice." C.C. crosses her arms too now, leveling a skeptical sneer up at the other woman, "I do! The kids love me. I sometimes help Mr. Sheffield with his plays and I….oh would you stop looking at me like that!" She dropped down onto the couch, "Maybe I am selfish. The only things I care about are my own needs. Any time I talk to someone it's so that I can ask them a favor. No wonder Val dropped me. I'm a horrible friend."

This should have been enough for C.C., seeing Fran like this. Goodness knows if it were Niles complaining he didn't have any friends she would have giggled herself faint and gone to some bar to buy a round of drinks to keep herself in the good mood. But Fran, she just looks so pathetic. Her face in her hands, fingers rubbing at her face and smearing her makeup. Her negligee, hardly comfortable wear, is crumpled around her stomach as she leans forward, her hair falling over her face and flat at the back from when she was lying down.

C.C. bites her lower lip and with a loud dramatic sigh sits next to the nanny, placing a hesitant hand on Fran's shoulder and patting it once.

"Oh come on Ms. Fine, I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I'm not-I'm not crying." the other woman mumbles through choked sobs.

C.C. tries patting her shoulder again, leaving her hand there this time, "There there just calm down. Being selfish isn't such a bad thing. Look at me, I only care about looking out for number one and look where it's got me."

"Single, blond and desperate?"

C.C. glares, "No. I am one of the most well known names on the business side of the acting world. Maxwell is not the only one I handle things for, I attended one of the best law schools in the country and I did it by looking out for M-E me and no one else. C.C. Babcock uses other people, other people do not use C.C. Babcock."

"Aint that the truth." Both women jump as Niles appears at the top of the stairs, a towel wrapped around his head and one of Maxwells' robes covering his body. He starts down, removing the towel and eyeing them suspiciously, waving a hand between them, "I'm sorry was I interrupting something?"

A completely uncalled for blush begins to crawl up the blonde's neck and she pulls the robe tighter around herself, snatching her other hand away from the warm flesh, "Of course not. I was just handling the emotional basket case that is Nanny Fine until I was rescued. She's all yours, please."

"Um, Ms. Babcock?" Fran reaches for C.C.'s wrist as she moves to stand up, looking up at her with watery eyes, "Thank you."

"Yes, whatever. I'll be sleeping in the guest room."

"Are you sure, I can always dust off your favorite coffin." Niles puts in

"I bought a new one, the other was getting as old as your jokes."

They exchange smirks and Niles turns away from the staircase opening his mouth to ask what's wrong just as Fran begins to whisk the wine bottle and plates into the kitchen.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them =). Here's the next chapter, happy holidays everyone.**

~*~

Niles is positive that the women before him are impostors. He watches them from the dining room, idly polishing a silver spoon as he peeks through the narrow opening of the door. The woman who is apparently Fran is seated on the arm of the couch, filing her nails and prattling on about some sale at Lohemans' while she-who-calls-herself-C.C. sits in said couch going through a screenplay Maxwell faxed her late last night. Both are in matching house shoes, sharing an identical cup of iced coffee and seemingly at peace beside one another.

Completely unacceptable.

One hour in a Jacuzzi and apparently he'd missed out on everything. Maxwell had called earlier, apparently his mother was revising her will (the real cause for the reunion) and in no uncertain terms he was staying for another week to suck up. Niles had tried to tell him that something was going on between the two women in his life, but so long as they weren't at each others' throats, his employer was satisfied.

But honestly, was C.C. actually _laughing_ at something Ms. Fine had said with the intention of making her laugh? He speed walks into the kitchen, pulling out a few ingredients and starting up the stove

"Oh now where on earth did I put the crepe pans?" He says, raising his voice a touch louder than necessary

Not ten seconds later, the lithe brunette is in the frame of the door, telling him not only where they were, but how she wants hers done. He interrupts her order, patting the islands' counter top

"Have a seat, while I make them."

"Gee Niles you're in a good mood. Did one of Mr. Sheffields' irregular suits fit you?"

"No, nothing like that." He clears his throat and begins to nonchalantly prepare the food, "I'm just _so _happy to see that you and C.C. are getting along at last. Any reason for that?"

Fran shrugs, "Gee I don't know. Maxwell asked her to keep me company, she's probably just doing it to make him happy. She made me feel real better about the fight I had with Val, we talked it over this morning too." she smiles, tracing around a cutting board, "It was nice."

"C.C. Babcock offered emotional support to someone that wasn't...C.C. Babcock."

"Yeah, ya know everyone gives her a hard time, but there's a sweet gentle woman deep beneath all that booze and neuroticism."

"WELL YOU TELL HIM TO BLOW IT OUT HIS-Oh never mind it's right here."

Niles gives Fran a look and she shrugs, "I told you, you gotta dig deep. Why do you care all of a sudden?"

Niles turns to the stove, "No reason."

Fran grins, stepping behind him, "Aww, I think someone's afraid Ms. Babcock is taking their place."

"Of course not. The only place that woman could take is first at the dog show."

" Now come on, tell the truth." she pokes his side, "It's okay to be jealous."

"I am not jealous."

"Oh, so I guess you don't mind that me and her are going to La Russus for dinner tomorrow."

"You're going on a date with Ms. Babcock?"

"No not a date!" She swats his arm and he chuckles, flipping over one of the crepes, "A girls' night out. We've done it before when me and Val weren't talking. You're welcome to come."

"And by come do you mean drive you in the town car?"

"Thanks, Nilsey you're a peach." She kisses his cheek and spears two of the crepes

~*~

C.C. checks herself in her compact mirror, sparing a glance at the clock. When she'd called, Nanny Fine had been in the beginning stages of getting ready. Having thought that if anyone it would be herself who would be late, C.C. had sped through video conferences, struggled with her newly injured Pomeranian, gotten ready and battled her way through traffic. As she pulled into valet she'd called again and been informed that Fran had just finished "exfoliating" whatever the hell that meant.

_Honestly, who is Nanny Fine kidding? What does it really take? Throw on a pair of neon high heels, cut some holes into a shower curtain and-_

"Ta-da!"

C.C.'s mind comes to a full halt. Well she had said formal wear but well…my god. Her hair is pulled back in a neat bun with a thin bit of red velvet. Her dress, uncharacteristically long, hugs her form in typical Nanny Fine style. Black with smoky gray glitter at the edges and a gray wrap with red studs accent the outfit perfectly. It was as if the brunette had bothered to open up an actual fashion magazine instead of those catalogs that came in through the mail.

C.C. waves her over, wishing she'd stuck with her usual business suits instead of the cream colored dress that offered up copious amounts of her easily flushed skin. Surprise is what it is really, Nanny Fine actually showing some sense of décor; it's a wonder she hasn't fainted from shock if anything. Nonetheless her fingertips toy absently with her shawl as Fran takes a seat opposite her in the small booth.

"Gosh I'm so sorry I'm late. Niles got a little distracted."

"Did someone throw a Frisbee?" C.C. retorts, hauling her thoughts back in order

Fran shakes her head, "Geez, you're worse than him. You know ma always says there's a thin line between love and hate."

"Yes and that line is a knife. The man is the bane of my existence."

This time Fran laughs, nodding a thank you at the waiter who sets their glasses down and hands them their menus.

~*~

And much like every time C.C. spends time of her own free will with Fran she finds herself pleasantly surprised at how much of a bad time she's not having. It's a given that the nanny is a tad…boisterous, but it's why she had the tact to choose a booth close to both the band and the bar. Having bonded over selfishness C.C. explains over drinks her choice ("I don't care what that little prat of a butler says") not to date.

"Isn't that just because you're in love with Mr. Sheffield?"

"Yes…no! No, not just because of that. Maxwell, well he's safe and consistent and he has that irresistible way of directing the stagehands."

Fran stirs her drink, "Yeah and he looks great naked."

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing." she finishes the rest of the glass's contents and calls for another, "Ya know Ms. Babcock I think you're just afraid to trust people. I mean Max is great, he's handsome, charming, cute little accent, but you can't spend your whole life waiting for the guy and not opening yourself up."

"Yes I imagine you'd know a lot about opening yourself up." she dodges the olive thrown at her nose

"You know I do. They say if you've never had your heart broken you've never truly loved. But it doesn't do any good to have it broken by the same person over and over again. I adore Max, but until he's willing to admit he's got the hots for the help I'm _living my life_. End of story."

"You're right." C.C. pauses, the look of bewilderment mirrored in Fran's face as well

"Man, how strong they makin' these things?"

~*~

After that the drinks began to appear considerably more often. In an attempt to explain her game strategy for black Friday Fran had squeezed in next to C.C., constructing a diagram out of napkins, toothpicks and tiny shot glasses to stand for people. At this point there's enough to form a good sized crowd. Sitting down evens out their heights and C.C. finds her chin resting on the other woman's shoulder, struggling to understand the rapid movements that the shot glasses are making through the toothpick isles.

"Then wham! Bam! You're in the parking lot and they're still looking in the half off bin."

"Amazing." she breathes, "Utterly…amazing."

"Okay are you being sarcastic sincere or just drunk?"

The blonde takes a moment to think about it before replying, "All of the above."

Fran begins to nod then stops midway and just looks confused. C.C. laughs, actually laughs and when she sees the way Fran's face lights up she just laughs harder.

It isn't until the band takes a break and their voices begin to carry throughout the restaurant, that their waiter approaches them to settle the check and offer to call a cab. Because it's closer and to be honest neither can remember the address of Maxwell's house they decide to go C.C.'s apartment. They giggle in the cab ride and Fran reveals a few secrets about Niles that C.C. forces herself to commit to memory for future ammo. In return, C.C. tells her about the time Andrew Loyd Weber invited her to a dinner party and she went without telling Maxwell, only to have a picture show up in the society pages of her and Andrew arm in arm.

"Maxwell was furious! He positively ravaged me."

"Glared and shut the door in your face didn't he?"

"Not in my fantasy. Why are you on the floor?"

Fran looks up, "I'm _looking _for the key, drunkey McBoozen."

"The one in my hand?"

And then they have to stop to laugh about that.

Finally inside C.C. put a finger over her lips, whispering that the evil mutt Chester had broken his leg and her neighbors were prisses when it came to noise. Nodding Fran inches towards the couch, tripping over a rug and falling onto it. Before she can burst into the inevitable giggles C.C. kicks off her heels and presses a hand over her mouth. Fran wriggles, shoving it away,

"I wasn't going to laugh." she hisses.

"You were too. You and that incessant voice of yours. If you wake that mutt I'll-"

"Oh, what crush me with your boobs? I mean pardon me, but do. You. Mind?" C.C.'s knees are on the ground her upper half leaning against Fran since she'd put her full weight when silencing the other woman

"Oh please if I was Maxwell you'd be in heaven."

"Oh, honey if you were Maxwell you wouldn't be the one kneeling."

C.C. somehow manages to choke on air, but can't find stir up the willpower to pull away. Instead she finds her voice dropping, "Is that so Ms. Fine?"

Fran gave a soft chuckle, sitting up and pulling C.C. beside her, "Is that the game you want to play?"

"I've no idea what you're talking about." She has his accent down perfectly after twenty five years of practice

"You never do. Oh _Max."_

And then she reaches out her hand, to pat C.C.'s hair like she always does to Maxwell when she can get away with it. It's something entirely innocent, but C.C.'s cheek is turning into that touch, her lips landing in the other woman's palm. The last thing she remembers as her eyes close is the scent of perfume as Nanny Fine's hand slides up and into her hair.


	3. Chapter 3

~*~

She wakes up in her bed clothed; black silk pajama pants and her dress from last night, a slipper dangling off an outstretched foot. When she recoils it, it bumps the ankle of skin decidedly not her own. Wrapped tightly around her side is Nanny Fine clad in underwear and the black top that goes with C.C.'s pajama pants. The complaint begins to work it's way out of her mouth just as a trail of fire ignites her senses, red spots clouding her eyes as her temple beings to throb. Growling, she shoves at the brunette, wincing at the resulting yelp and thud! as the other woman topples onto the floor.

"What time is it? I've got a meeting with J. Talon at noon."

A muffled response reaches her ears and she ignores it, reaching for her clock. Ten, thank goodness, it wouldn't be the first time she shows up hung over to meet an investor but the more put together she is might detract from the pathetic excuse for a production she's being forced to pitch.

Dragging herself out of bed, she steps over the inert figure, still wrapped up in blankets on the floor. Stopping at the bathroom door she picks up one of Chester's toys and tosses it somewhere in the vicinity of the other woman's head. Hearing a faint grunt she considers her duties finished and starts up the shower.

~*~

"Would you _please _stop scratching your ears this close to me?"

"I can't help it, I always do after…" she trails off, coughing loudly and staring out the window of the cab. When she thinks C.C. isn't looking she tilts her head sideways creating a bit of friction off her shoulder.

"You have been acting strange all morning. Cut. It Out.I have to focus."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Silence as the businesswoman makes notes in the portfolio on her lap, sipping from the water when the car is at a stop sign or going slow enough to permit it, "So did you have a good time last night?"

"Surprisingly yes. I've always adored La Russus."

"So do I. I mean not always of course because that was my first time there, but I think I might always like it well if I can get that raise so I can afford to always like it. Russus that means red right? In latin. I had a boyfriend named Russel, red hair, didn't speak latin though. I think he was Italian. You know there's this _fabulous_-"

"Nanny Fine?" C.C. clenches her teeth, pen griped tightly between her fingers, "My patience for this conversation is wearing very thin. Why don't we play the quiet game, okay? No talky."

And for some reason the woman blushes madly, her voice just above a squeak, "Sure."

But upon seeing La Russus where they are returning to pick up C.C.'s car the nanny starts to speak again

"Really Ms. Babcock I had a great time. Would you mind if I told Val and Niles how great a time I had?"

"Why on earth would I mind?"

"No reason. I just thought it was ya know," her voice drops to a squeak again, "a secret."

_That I can entertain a guest? _"It is not a secret. My goodness you can't believe everything that Butler tells you. Invite your little friend Val over and we will have just as good a time as the two of us did last night."

Fran swallows hard, her eyes glazing over, "Sure, I mean I don't know if she'd be up for it, but" she exhales, "I'll ask."

"See that you do. Ah, here we are."

~*~

"YOU DID WHAT?"

And then he fainted.

Again.

Fran found a packet of smelling salts and wafted them beneath his nose, elevating his head in her lap, the start of tears in her eyes.

"Niles? Niles? Oh come on you big baby wake up."

Rising he shook his head from side to side, pulling himself up onto the couch, his face in his hands, "You _slept _with C.C. Babcock. Nonono, you had SEX with C.C. Babcock!"

"Gee Niles, say it louder. I don't think they heard you in ISRAEL!"

"What on God's green earth were you thinking?"

"Her mostly." she stands, facing away from him to grab a few tissues, "Although at one point I was wondering if I should do gymnastics. C.C. has a trophy in her room."

"If C.C. had a dollar every time a woman was in her room she'd have…I don't know. Oh my god how many dollars wouldshe have? She could have enough to buy back her dignity."

"Oh, Niles will you focus? She probably wouldn't remember it anyways. I mean I've heard of it being so good you forget your name, but an entire _night_?"

When she turns around he's slumped over again. She sighs.

~*~

Despite the hangover (which she's been resolutely treating with a mixture of coffee and Kahlua) C.C. has been in an oddly spectacular mood. She pitched Maxwell's latest production to the success of not one but two new backers; reduced a man-who had allegedly heard Chester yapping all night-to tears and actually impressed her personal trainer for the first time in ages. Her little girl's night out with Nanny Fine had apparently done a world of good to her system although she couldn't pinpoint exactly what was so special about it. They'd ate, gotten drunk and watched a movie. Besides for the extra person it was how C.C. spent most of her nights. She isn't sure what the movie had been about, but she remembers it being more racy than she was used to, images of bare skin and shallow breathing had been surfacing throughout the day. There's also the memory of shouts, things breaking (maybe an action flick or one of those romance drama types that aired on Lifetime) she'd have to ask Nanny Fine for the name.

While updating Maxwell on the latest developments he sounds surprised but not displeased at her new friendship with the children's nanny. He was sending back the children tomorrow for school and would be following shortly but expressed the wish for her to use his home office until he returned

"Now that you two can tolerate the other's presence I'd appreciate it if you kept an eye on things until I get there."

"Of course sweetie darling. I'll even help…the big one with her studies."

"Margret."

"Yeah yeah. Have a good time, Maxwell dearest."

"You too." he manages to squeeze in before she hangs up.

Well, she isn't necessarily thrilled having to work in such a raucous environment but hopefully out of her newfound friendship with Fran she can convince her to keep things to a dull roar while she attended to business.

She calls Niles to confirm the arrangements and instead of greeting her with the usual barbs he's congenial if not uncharacteristically short with her. His voice is faint and weak. Perhaps he was coming down with a cold. It'd serve him right the little brownnoser.

~*~

When she arrives the next morning, however, he doesn't look sick. If anything he looks too healthy, opening the door for her and just about sprinting back into the kitchen when she asks for a water. Coming back out, he sets it on the piano and flees back through the dining room. What an odd little…whatever, his newest eccentricities are the least of her worries.

She's opening the water and moving in the direction of the office when Fran comes down the stairs, her face done up as always but sporting a thin cotton robe and bath slippers. She calls out a hello, jogging to reach the other woman.

"Gooood morning, Ms. Babcock."

"Oh please, call me C.C." she waves a hand, taking a seat behind Maxwell's desk

"Really?"

"Yes, you've slept in my bed after all, we're hardly strangers."

And then Nanny Fine blushes for no reason at all just like she'd done in the cab yesterday. She's toying with the idea of keeping note just to determine if it's a random occurrence or something new.

"Well thanks…C.C." She giggles, hopping up to sit on the edge of Maxwell's desk, "So whatcha doing today?"

"Work. I just acquired two new sponsors and now I have to make this screenplay as good as I said it would be. Where on earth does Maxwell keep his red pens?"

Fran lays on her side, tapping her finger on a drawer to C.C.'s right. Her elbow is resting upon the stack of papers, her nose centimeters away from C.C.'s. The blonde raises an eyebrow

"Something you need, Nanny Fine?"

"I was just wondering if this brought back any memories…buddy."

C.C. pushes the chair backwards, reaching for a thesaurus, "Aren't the children back?"

"They were taken straight to school. Won't be home for a few hours."

"Well, how pleasant. Now do you mind?" She gestures to the nanny's position on the desk, "I can't very well work with a woman in my lap."

"Funny, I thought that was how you worked the best."

C.C. wrinkles her nose at the Butler's intrusion, "Don't you have a car to be chasing? A danish to be drowning in?"

The usual deep seeded loathing she is used to flares up in his features and she interlaces her fingers, awaiting his comeback. Seeing the oncoming showdown, Fran slips off the desk, brushing down her robe

"Well it seems C.C. is a little busy. Why don't we head over to Ikea? I'll buy you those oven mitts you've had your eyes on all week."

"Yes. You know for some reason I've had a craving for Les Bean casserole."

"What is that some sort of beggars pie?" C.C. turns back to the screenplay

"Oh yes I daresay you're a big fan of the pie. You should have a taste of Ms. Fine's I hear it's delicious."

C.C. looks up, trying to mask her confusion, _what the hell is he talking about? _"I'm sure it's better than anything you've ever served me."

"OKAY! Bye now, bye, come on Niles. Bye C.C." and then she all but drags the wide eyed man out of the office.

_And this, _C.C. thinks before turning back to her work, _is why I've never fraternized with the help._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Final chapter. Thanks for all the reviews. Gave me incentive to actually finish it. Enjoy ^_^**

~*~

"You know do I really ask for much? An all night buffet, earrings that make my waist look slim, a friend who doesn't hide from me in a _woman's dressing room!"_

Niles looks down at his shoes almost sheepishly. Fran has spent the past hour trying to have a serious conversation with him, but every time she so much as mentioned a female pronoun she found herself talking to a clothes rack or a leering shopper. She didn't want to give him a play by play, just work out some of the feelings she was having. Her and Val never really made up all the way, she dreaded talking about it to ma and Niles has always been there for her.

Sighing she turns away from him, wandering into another shop and dulling her hurt with a few pairs of strapless shoes and the drama surrounding her nail lady Kimi and the shampoo boy. By the time she exits the mall with only four measly bags Niles is outside, leaning against the town car, fiddling with his cuffs.

"Need a lift?"

"No." she sniffs, lifting her nose high into the air

"Oh come no, Ms. Fine, I'm _sorry _for acting the adolescent. I'm sure you can understand how much of a surprise this is."

"Yeah, well how do you think I feel? I go out with a gorgeous, funny successful blonde and wake up to-"

"C.C. Babcock?"

He regrets the words immediately as Fran swallows hard, letting out a deep breath, her voice eerily even when she speaks, "Forget it Niles. It's obvious your…vendetta against C.C. is more important than what I'm going through.."

"Ms. Fine-"

"No." she bites on her lower lip, her indifference breaking momentarily, "I thought we were friends, no matter what."

She walks past him, her bags swaying as she hails a cab.

~*~

C.C. has just decided on an impromptu lunch break when Fran walks in through the door, unusually droopy for having been shopping. The blonde changes her direction, not at all worried at the smile that unwillingly crosses her face upon seeing the other woman,

"Why on earth are you carrying those things? Isn't that what the help is for?"

"Really? Who knew."

"Fran are you alright?"

The Nanny nods, dropping the bags down onto the couch and moving towards the kitchen for her usual source of comfort. C.C. however follows behind her, oblivious to nothing, but the source of her bad mood. When Fran turns around she finds herself trapped between the refrigerator and her new friend, a lean cuisine pressed to her chest like a book.

"Did Niles do something? I knew that little rat looked guilty when he came in, running errands my ass, did he just _leave _you there?"

"Not really," Fran is finding it a little difficult to breath with them this close, the sudden fire in C.C.'s eyes bringing back memories entirely decidedly notappropriate for their conversation, "I left him."

"Why? What did he say? What did he do? I will end him."

"You know I'd really take that to heart if you didn't say this exact same thing at least once a week."

C.C. pinches her, not hard but hard enough, "**Tell me.**"

"This isn't really how I wanted to-"

"Nanny-"

"I thought I'd wait until it was over dinner or-"

"-Fine!"

"What?!" Her shoulders tensed as she ground herself against the fridge and away from C.C.'s touch, "Me-and-you-had-sex-that-night-at-La-Russus-and-Niles-wouldn't-listen-to-my-feelings-about-it-and-insulted-you, THERE."

She closes her eyes, anticipating a slap or a scream or a…anything that would signify the other woman heard her. When she opens her eyes C.C. is gone.

"Well…nuts."

~*~

_I slept with a woman. NO! I slept with a Fran. I slept with Maxwell Sheffield's nanny. Oh god I slept with someone whose from Queens!_

C.C. makes herself another drink. On her way back home memories had started coming back. She focused on the scenes from the movie and realized that it wasn't a movie, finding the remains of her Levithan statue beneath her bed when she looked. Chester barking, Fran giggling as C.C. bit the sweet spot just under her jaw line, the image of dark hair at her waist….

Her forehead thuds against her bar's counter. Said dog is on the stool next to her, eating peanuts out of a small dish and growling when her hand happens to get too close. Because the worst part of it is that she doesn't even mind the fact that she slept with a woman, after all she went to an all girl's boarding school and the men she was attracted to were effeminate dancers, it was hardly a leap.

It was the fact of which woman she'd slept with. If Niles was her arch nemesis than Fran was his assistant, there wasn't any real hate just animosity for being on the opposite side. The world Vs. C.C. and she'd been positive which side Fran belonged to.

But…Fran hadn't liked when Niles insulted her. And what she could remember of their night at La Russus had been and the days before had been at the very least entertaining. Their rivalry over Max was becoming more like an ongoing joke more than anything and….

"I've lost my mind." She looks at Chester, "C.C. Babcock has lost her mind."

The Pomeranian tilts his head and leans over to lick her hand briefly. She snorts and pushes him off the stool.

~*~

Maxwell comes back. It's not exactly a shock, but somehow it is. C.C. thought she'd have solved the situation with Fran by that point; she'd only succeeded in the art of avoiding five people who stayed under the same roof. She mostly accomplished it by locking the door the Maxwell's office and listening in on the intercoms for everyone's position before exiting it. On her way to and from she often passed one of the children but for the most part Niles stayed in his room unless he was called and the children suddenly found themselves the object of Fran's obsession. She took to them to movies and shopping but also to her mother's and temple which were less enjoyable experiences.

"Hello all!" Maxwell boomed, grin indicating that things with the will had worked out marvelously, "How have things been going."

"Very well, sir."

"Great," Fran chirped

"Nothing strange at all."

Maxwell's grin disappears, "Oh God what on earth happened? Did something burn down?" Niles shakes his head, "Did you scare away a star client?" Fran holds up her hands, "Is the production a complete mess?"

C.C. rolls her eyes, "Of course not, it's going on swimmingly as you know. I've been faxing you updates almost on the hour."

His eyebrow refuses to lower however as he walks past all of them, "I'm going to do a thorough inspection of this house and a check up with all my clients. Something is going on around here."

When he's left the room Niles levels a loaded glance at the two women before retreating back to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

"Well…"

"Well…"

"I guess I'll be leaving."

Fran's hand shoots out, grabbing C.C. by the wrist, "Wait a minute. Now I know you think I'm just some two bit floozy-"

"Yes."

Fran glares, "but that night we shared was ya know, sort of special. You were nice and didn't act like I was just the help moving in on your territory."

C.C. sighs, "Oh please, I never said I had any claim on Maxwell."

"Exactly. But you could have one on me." She goes red, but at least C.C. knows what for this time, "I mean…if you wanted it. All I know is that I had a great time with you and really ma just wants me to get married and in some states that's legal not that we'd ever go that far I'm just judging our relationship based on the great sex and girl talk, but"

"Nanny Fine." the other woman growls

"OKAY! What I'm trying to say is for now we could just be the sort of friends who hit on men then go home and hit on each other for a bit." she frowns, "Wait."

"Fine."

"What? That came out alright didn't it?"

"No, I mean 'fine', okay."

"Okay, okay?"

"Yes."

They stare at one another for a long moment. C.C.'s arms still at her sides looking everywhere that isn't at Fran; and Fran toying with her fingers absently, a small smile threatening to turn at any moment into a full on a squeal.

"For obvious reasons I insist you stop hanging out with the Butler."

Her further demands are drowned out by the distraction of Fran's lips pressed against hers.

~*~

"_Something _is going on." Maxwell insists, "Where in God's bloody blazes is that nanny?"

Niles follows behind his employer dutifully, "I truly think now is not the time to be looking for Ms. Fine."

"Why the hell not?" He mutters, pushing open another door and cursing his multi-roomed home, "She's always behind of it. The woman lives to make trouble where trouble doesn't exist. She's like a bloody -" he opens the door to the cellar, "magician."

C.C. is leaning against the smooth side of a wine rack with Fran in her arms, fingers undoing the zipper of the nanny's metallic pencil skirt while her mouth is attached to her neck. Maxwell's eyes bulge as Niles leans close

"Abracadabra sir."

**Fin **


End file.
